Written by DY is done as a Twin.
Cole Nelson
In a rare intra-divisional trade, the Twins sent Delmon Young to the Tigers in return for high-A minor league pitcher Cole Nelson and a “player to be named later”. Nelson, a native of Edina MN, I believe, has mediocre (at best) stats for the Tigers’ Lakeland affiliate this season. He was a 10th round pick of the Tigers in the 2010 draft out of Auburn.
I’m hoping the PTBNL is the key in this deal. Often, that indicates the player has been identified but was signed less than a year ago. (Players can’t be traded by their original team until 1 year has expired.)
On the surface, it certainly doesn’t look like a strong trade for the Twins, but until the PTBNL is identified, it’s premature to cast a final judgment.
- JC
Admittedly this doesn’t sound like a good “deal” for the Twins. That’s because it’s styled as a trade. It’s not really a trade any more than the JJ Hardy deal was a trade. They were both basically salary dumps, and Young I’m guessing didn’t fit into the Twins’ long-term outfield plans (assuming they have such plans, which I really wonder about at this point). Let’s hope that this one doesn’t come back to bite us 19 times each year!!
Yeah, AW, I would bet that what we may find out later is that Detroit claimed Young when the Twins sent him through waivers. That means the Twins had a choice of trying to work out the best deal possible with Detroit or essentially getting nothing at all for him this offseason (assuming they didn’t plan to offer him arbitration). I guess getting almost nothing in return is better than getting absolutely nothing. As much as I’d like the PTBNL to be something potentially useful, it seems unlikely that the Tigers would hand the Twins a “real” prospect.
As for DY biting the Twins 19 times a year, that would only be the case if the Tigers offer him arbitration… which I can’t really see them doing unless he really goes on a tear now. They are pretty much hoping he can help them offensively the rest of this season and in the playoffs.
Cole is an Auburn Tiger – so I have some hope! War Eagle!
Damn. I don’t even want to hold replacement Boyfriend tryouts this year. Can’t they trade my boyfriend during a year when there are other players who look worth even flirting with?
It was clearly just dumping him. And I’m not even sure the salary would be the reason…isn’t he still a bargain, even assuming a discount on the defense? I am surprised that no one lower on the waiver list wanted to take a chance on him. But it does frustrate me that they traded him within the division.
It’s not so much the money he’s making this year, lisa, as the money he would stand to make via arbitration next year. Even with his substandard performance, he could have ended up getting $6-7 million or more in an arbitration award for 2012. It’s hard to imagine the Twins being willing to get stuck with that level of compensation. I’m hoping this is indicative that the Twins recognize that they need to upgrade their speed/defense in the OF before 2012.